Profits and Ethics in the Business World

In business circles, profits and ethics are terribly at each other's throat. The way is there in accountancy, manufacturing, printing, construction, communications and banking. Import - export! Oh! Don't mention that. Shipping and aviation! They, too are contending with the profit-ethics issue. So, where we turn? No where. There's simply no trade or business in which profits are not shooting down ethics. But can a business be profitable without unethical. The "code of ethics" of many a profession say yes. And there are disciplinary committee to monitor how individuals spike the rules. Despite this, every business person knows that somewhere, somehow he's one way or the other played it fast on his clunts or competitors. For there is always that struggle between the pull of profits and the tendency to ethical dealing. And the struggle is global. If business people are asked to chose between profits and ethics, who knows, they'll generally pitch tent with the former.

That companies need to make profits is an acknowledged fact. But what astonished observers in the recent outburst of companies that are neither profitable nor ethical. And since the goal of "profit centre" (apologies to Alvin Toffler's phrase) is to make profits, a lot of honesty and transparency cannot be found anywhere.